Raiders dominate early but Knights blitz gives them the win

One minute, it looked like the Raiders were in cruise control. The next, they found themselves behind on the scoreboard, as a second half blitz from the Newcastle Knights carried them over the line, as they played an electrifying 40 minutes of footy, to win 22-12.

With the Raiders playing stellar footy, and looking comfortable, they just had no answers for a rampant Newcastle side in the second half, though the Raiders were perhaps unlucky, when a controversial moment marred the game.

It happened when the game was being hotly contested, and had the decision gone the other way, it would have seen the Raiders regain the lead, and perhaps change the course of the game.

Referee Matt Cecchin, ruled that Raiders halfback Sam Williams got a touch on the ball, after it appeared that Knights centre Junior Sau’u had lost the ball cold.

The call would ultimately cost the Raiders the match, and their coach David Furner believes that it was the turning point in the match.

“That changed the game…If you let them play on, Joshy McCrone’s under the posts (and) we win the game,” Furner told reporters.

“So unfortunately that was a massive one.”

With their loss, the Raiders are now confined to the bottom of the ladder, and captain Alan Tongue says that his side has to do more to win games.

“I think our start to the game was outstanding,” Tongue said.

“We just needed to be better at the start of that second half.” Bur Tongue remained optimistic about his team’s chances this year.

“We were in this position last year and we turned it around … We can do it again.”